Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. is not ruling out a potential return to the team in the playoffs, according to ESPN's Marc J. Spears. Porter has been out for a majority of the season with a back injury.

Right now, I'm taking it game by game. I'm not ruling anything out. This is a thing I don't ever want to deal again, so I'm just taking my time. I'm playing it game by game. Every morning I wake up and I know I'm feeling good. Every day I'm getting closer.

Porter's absence has been sorely missed by the Nuggets. They've severely lacked a secondary scorer beyond MVP candidate Nikola Jokic, as Jamal Murray remains out as well.

Coming out of college, Porter's draft stock slipped due to injury concerns. Specifically, he had several back issues in the past. Fast forward to this season, and Porter had his third back surgery on December 1. He struggled in nine games this season, averaging just 9.9 points after a career-high 19.0 average last season. His future remains in question, as he can't seem to stay on the floor.

A talent like Porter's is hard to come by, thus his importance to the Nuggets team. The Nuggets haven't been quite the same this season due to injuries and as a result, failed to gain home court advantage for the playoffs. As a result, they're matched against the third-seeded Warriors in the first round, losing Game 1 on Saturday. Regardless of the likelihood, a return of Porter would be a welcomed sight for Nuggets fans.